Exploring the Usage Patterns of Antiplatelet Agents in Cardiac Patients

Abstract

The study conducted a cross-sectional observational analysis to evaluate the pattern of antiplatelet drug utilization among cardiovascular disease patients and to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy and its responsible factors such as age, gender, co-morbid condition, and patient-related drug use problems. A total of 150 patients were enrolled in the study, with 79% male and 21% female. The majority of patients belonged to the 51-60 age group, and patients diagnosed with IWMI (43.3%) had the highest prescribed antiplatelet agents. Smoking (54.7%) and alcohol (26.7%) were found to be the most dominant risk factors. The study found that 60.7% of patients had no comorbidity, while 31.3% had a comorbid cardiac condition. The most commonly prescribed antiplatelet agents were monotherapy of aspirin (28.8%), clopidogrel (16.7%), and combination therapy of both (51.2%). The study concluded that an increase in the number of co-morbidities can significantly increase drug utilization, which can further lead to drug use problems. Clinical pharmacists can play a crucial role in alleviating polypharmacy problems and their consequences. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the antiplatelet drug utilization pattern among cardiovascular disease patients and highlights the importance of clinical pharmacists in addressing polypharmacy problems.